A former brother in arms who has been overseas for five years was expressing concern over Chattanooga's most recent spate of gang violence. He remembers all too well the two decades where officials refused to acknowledge the problem. In the name of tourism they let it grow - bringing us to today. Here is my short explanation, intended to bring him up to date:
You missed some things while you were gone. The problem has been acknowledged for 10 years now. It's now a question of what Tactics, Techniques & Procedures (TTPs) work best, manpower, paying for it. There is actually a gang unit, gang task force, Violence Reduction Initiative (VRI, A bunch of book geniuses, unfortunately the Mayor's Office is overrun with hipsters who lack political/practical/public policy/street experience sitting around a table coming up with ideas that sound great on paper but fail in practice, and a DA who won't participate.)
The problem is exacerbated by the court system and Legislature, DAs too eager to accept pleas, General Sessions judges setting low bonds, Criminal Court judges too accepting of inadequate plea deals and and giving short sentences. Finally, a Republican Legislature that would rather worry about who goes to the bathroom where or promoting the Bible than important matters like gang problems and truth in sentencing.
L. Brock Bennington
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Not to mention that we don't have a place to put them. Just ask the Sheriff.
Michael Burns